THE Scottish tribute act - who real name is Pete Rossi - had been selling the rip-off handbags on his Facebook page ahead of his semi-final appearance in the ITV competition.

Peat Loaf auditioning for 'Britain's Got Talent' where he has reached the semi-final stage

BRITAIN’S Got Talent star Peat Loaf has been peddling fake designer goods to make extra cash while he chases his showbiz dream.

The Scots Meat Loaf impersonator – real name Pete Rossi – is in the semi-finals after his rendition of I’d Do Anything for Love impressed the ITV show’s judges.

But the 52-year-old crooner, from Troon, Ayrshire, brazenly advertised rip-off handbags and arranged deals with pals on his official Facebook page just weeks before he made his TV debut at the weekend.

It’s not the first time dad-of-six Pete has landed in hot water for shoddy advertising. He previously faced a $1million lawsuit from Meat Loaf because he failed to mention he was a tribute act on an advert for a UK tour.

BGT bosses yesterday asked for more information from the Record regarding the dodgy goods and the images vanished from Rossi’s profile when we contacted him.

The counterfeit haul peddled by Rossi included fake Dolce and Gabbana, Prada, Ugg and Jimmy Choo handbags and purses, which he advertised as top-quality replicas.

In April, he wrote: “Hi peeps one of my friends has some top notch REPLICER bags and purses for sale at Rediculasly low prices pm me for details these are not cheap fakes but very very high quality replicers.”

And he bargained with one pal over the price of a bag: “To you babe £30 and thats the last one of that kind so be quick lol.”

Real handbags by the designers start at around £400.

Rossi did not respond to our request for comment yesterday. But a source close to the singer said: “He says a friend was selling a couple of the bags, which were clearly marked replica, and he simply shared this.”

Rossi’s BGT success came after he teamed up with Kilmarnock singer Elaine Withers, 37, to perform the famous Meat Loaf duet. The nation saw him voted through on Saturday.

The decade-long lawsuit feud with the real Meat Loaf, which ended amicably last year, saw Rossi give up on his dream and move to Spain to work in karaoke bars. He only recently moved back to Scotland from Benidorm after 10 years.